Display device



P- S. MILLER DISPLAY DEVICE June 5, 1951 Filed Aug. 31, 1948 Patented June 1951 DISPLAY DEVICE Peter S. Miller, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to H. B. Miller Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Canada Application August 31, 1948, Serial No. 47,085

This invention relates to display devices.

More particularly it relates to the type of display device in which there is a display piece adapted to carry advertising matter and means to support the display pieces so that the advertising matter is attractively displayed to the pub lic view.

The present invention presents a novel arrangement whereby a container in which the display piece is packaged for mailing is also used in conjunction with the contents to form the support for the display.

The invention is embodied in a device including a tube having a slot adjacent one end, this tube constituting a container or mailing tube for the display when the device is in knocked down condition and a pedestal for supporting the display when the device i in setup condition. A collapsible easel constituting a base member includes slotted portions in its upper surface in which the tube is engaged as a pedestal when the display is in set up condition. The portion of the display adapted to carry advertising matter or the like, comprises an elongated scroll sheet of flexible material having a portion adjacent one end attached to the collapsible base member. The base easel and sheet are collapsed and stowed in the tube when the device is in knocked down condition.

The end of the flexible sheet remote from the base is adapted to be rolled over the top of the tube and engaged in the slot so that when the display is set up the sheet is supported in a scroll-like manner by the tube and the base. Preferably the tube used is a mailing tube, for example, of cardboard and the flexible sheet and collapsible base are also fashioned from sheets of paperboard, or other material capable of the function described.

In order that the collapsible base may be folded to the flexible sheet this member is made from a narrow strip of cardboard, metal, etc., creased and folded to constitute hinged joints and includes a centre portion, which is secured to the flexible sheet, and a pair of extended portions or wings hingedly attached to the bottom portion. Each of the wing portions are scored so as to be foldable intermediate their ends and the extremities of the wing portions remote from the centre portion are hingedly connected together 12' Claims. Cl. LO-124.1)

the base is opened out to the set up position.

so that the base can be folded flatly with the wings folded over and juxtaposed on the centre portion. The wing portions of the base include spaced apart slots extending inwardly from one edge for receiving the edge of the tube when The edge of the flexible sheet adapted to be engaged in the slot of the tube is preferably reinforced with a narrow strip of cardboard or tin etc. secured to the upper margin of the sheet.

It is a principal feature of the present invention that the collapsible base and flexible sheet forming the scroll may be rolled to a package that will fit easily within the tube and so present a compact unit for mailing. When it is desired to set up the display device, the scroll and attached base are withdrawn from the tube, unrolled, and the tube itself then becomes a principal member of the supporting stand. It is a further feature of the present device that the display piece supported according to the invention is held in a scroll-like manner that presents any advertising matter contained thereon to the public view in an attractive manner.

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display device constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2 sectioned on the lines 3-3.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail elevation of the tubular member and stand illustrating a preferred slot arrangement.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a preferred form of the device as it may be rolled for shipping.

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross section through the device of the parts in mailing position.

With particular reference to Figures 1 and 2 illustratin a preferred form of the invention, a generally rectangular flexible sheet of material l0, includes a stiffening strip ii fastened adjacent the upper margin of the sheet. A tubular member it includes a slot it adjacent one end, in which the upper edge of the sheet is may be engaged when the display is set up as shown in Figure 2. The collapsible base [6 includes a centre portion It and extended wing portions I la and i3. The centre portion [5 is attached to the sheet In as shown in Figure 2 and is hinged at 22 so that the centre portion will fold flatly against the sheet Hi. The wings Ha and I3 include slots 20 in which the tube i2 is engaged when the display is in the set up condition as illustrated in Figure 4. The ends of the wings i M and [3 are joined and are creased and folded to form hinge joints 2! so that the wings can be folded fiatly juxtaposed to the centre portion I and the sheet as shown in Figure 5.

Preferably the sheet ID, the tube l2 and the stand I6 are made from paperboard or cardboard, or any other suitable material. The sheet I8 is sufficiently flexible so that it may be rolled into cylindrical form as shown in Figure 5 and placed within the tube 12 so as to make a compact package for shipping. The stand I6 is made from a shaped and slotted strip of cardboard or any other suitable material which is scored and creased to make the hinge joints 2i and 22.

The device as packaged for shipping or mailing is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. To set up the device it is only necessary to remove the flexible sheet forming the scroll II) with the stand l6 attached from the tube l2, unfold the stand iii to the position shown in Figure 3, insert the tube i2 with the slot l i away from the sheet If], and fold over and engage the sheet ill in the tube l2 as shown in Figure 2. The sheet Hi is thus rigidly supported in a scroll-like form at an angle where any reading matter carried by the sheet It may be easily read.

It will be understood that modifications can be made in the specific structure of the device. For example, the slots enabling connection between the base member IE5 and the tube 12 can be in the tube rather than in the base member as shown. Such slots and the slot I4 can, if a. sired, be covered with paper so as to finish the container for mailing purposes and the paper broken away before the device is set up. The scroll sheet is usually adhesively secured to the base member, but these parts could be connected in other ways, for example, by staplin In certain instances, the parts might even be left unconnected until the device is ready to set up, but it is preferred to have them connected as shown since this leaves no special attention on the part of the recipient of the display when setting up the stand.

The materials from which the various parts of the device are made can be varied widely for economy. It will probably be desirable to make the parts from cardboard and paper. But, however, the invention is not necessarily tied up with the particular material from which the parts are made but resides in the structural feature of the parts as will be readily understood by one skilled in the art. Naturally the structural features depend to some extent on making the parts from suitable material but once the structural features are understood the selection of suitable material will offer no problem to .one skilled in the art.

' Other modifications and advantages of the device will .become apparent from thedescription which is illustrative only, the scope. of the invention being defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A knockdown display device, comprising, a container member, a base member, and a scroll sheet, the container member being a tube constituting a container when the device is in tremity remote from the centre section whereby the easel can be flattened out with the wings folded over and juxtaposed on the centre section, one of said members including slots extending inwardly from one edge thereof for receiving the end of the other member when the base member is opened out in the set up position, the tube having a transverse slot adjacent one end adapted to receive the edge of the scroll in the set up position, the base being adapted to be spread out as a support with the tube engaged therewith and standing up as a pedestal with the scroll draped over the top of the tube and extending downward to the base when the device is in set up condition, the saidbase being adapted to be folded up and the scroll rolled to fit Within the tube when the device is in knocked down condition.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the member including the slots extending inwardly from one edge thereof is the base member.

3. A set-up display device, comprising, a tube suitable for mailing, a collapsible base member and a scroll sheet connected to said base memher at one end, the scroll sheet having a substantially rigid frame member at the other end, the base member being adapted to be folded up and the scroll sheet adapted to be rolled up to form a compact unit adapted to fit Within said tube, said tube having a transverse slot adjacent one end thereof adapted to receive the end of the scroll remote from the base member, said tube being adapted at the other end for engagement with the base member, whereby the tube may be mounted on the base member as a pedestal and said scroll may extend upwards from the base member and be draped over-the top of the tube with the frame member engaged in the slot to form a display, the slot being sufficiently long to form opposed lips adapted to engage and .retain the frame member so as to maintain the scroll sheet in draped position.

4. A set-up display device according to claim 3, wherein the tube also includes axially extending slots at the end opposite from said transverse slot, said axial slots adapted to engage the supporting base member.

5. In a set-up display device, a rollable display sheet having one leading edge provided with a stiffener adapted for connection with .a pedestal, and collapsible base member connected to the back of said display sheet adjacent to the end remote from said stiffener, such base member being formed from strip material arranged to provide converging side walls meeting in a hinge and a front wall hinged to the side walls, the side walls also being hinged intermediate their ends, the front wall including a top flap for attachment to the display sheet, the side walls and front walls being adapted 'by the h'inging to be folded flat with the front wall andgfront portions of the side walls formin one layer and the rear portions of the side walls forming another layer.

6. In a set-up display device, a cylindrical thinwalle'd substantially rigid tube suitable for mailing, the wall of said tube including a transverse slot adjacent to one ,end adapted to ,receive ,a substantially rigid straight edged 111 .11 ber of a rollable display sheet passed over the end of the tube from the side opposite totheslot with the sheet passed down beside the tube with its other end connected :to the other .end of the tube, such slot being practically ,parallel to the circumference of the tube and {long enough to form opposed arcuate" lips projecting out far enough from the ends of the slot so as to be adapted to engage and retain the straight edge of the display sheet with said edge pushed in between said lips and bearing against the portion of the tube at the ends of the slot and extending directly therebetween when the scroll is in position its end draped over the end of the tube.

7. In a set-up display device, according to claim 6, said tube also being slotted adjacent to the other end so as to engage a member con nected to the other end of the display sheet.

3. A collapsible easel for display devices, comprising, a strip of material arranged to form converging side walls meeting in a hinge and a front wall hinged to the side walls, the side walls also being hinged intermediate thei ends, the front wall including a top flap hinged thereto, the side walls and front walls being adapted by the hinging to be folded flat with the front wall and front portions of the side walls forming one layer and the rear portions of the side walls another layer, a scroll sheet connected to the flap, the side walls including slots in thei upper edge,

adapted to receive the end of a supporting member which is adapted to be connected to the end of said scroll sheet remote from that connected to the easel.

9. A display device, comprising, an elongated support, a display sheet of normally fiat but resiliently flexible material supported by said sup port, the display sheet being connected to one end of the support with the sheet extending from its connection in a direction away from the support and then being passed unfolded about the end of the support to present a rounded contour and then extending in juxtaposed relationship to the support for a major portion of the length of the latter, means connecting the other end of the sheet to the other end of the support to retain said end of the sheet in such a manner that the sheet is bowed transversely to its length throughout a major portion of its length against the normal tendency of the sheet to flatten out.

10. A display device according to claim 9, in which the support is a tube suitable for mailing.

11. A display device according to I claim 10, wherein the sheet is outwardly bowed away from the support adjacent to its lower end.

12. A set-up display device, comprising, a tube suitable for mailing, a collapsible base member and a display sheet of normally fiat but resiliently flexible material connected to said base member at one end, the display sheet having a substantially rigid straight frame member at the other end, the base member and the display sheet being adapted to be collapsed to form a compact unit adapted to fit the tube having a transverse flap adjacent to one end adapted to receive the rigid frame member, the tube being adapted at the other end for engagement with the base member, whereby the tube may be mounted on the base member as a support and the display sheet may extend from the base member and be draped around the other end of the tube with the frame member engaged in the slot to form a display, the slot being sufficiently long to form opposed lips adapted to engage and retain the frame member so as to maintain the display sheet in draped position.

PETER S. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,434,155 Scherotto Oct. 31, 1922 1,903,766 Johns Apr. 18, 1933 2,023,104 Schwartz Dec. 3, 1935 2,079,370 Durkin May 4, 1937 2,376,180 Paige May 14, 1945 2,466,599 Larkin Apr. 5, 1949 

